13 people killed in Syria’s Daraa within a week
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – Thirteen people, including civilians, were killed throughout the past week in Daraa Governorate, southern Syria, in the midst of security chaos, security grip tighten, and the harassment of civilians by government forces.
On Thursday, eight people were killed in different areas of Daraa governorate, five of them were formerly opposition members, and the other three were of the government forces.
A local source told North Press that a former leader of the Syrian opposition and five companions were killed on Thursday night in an ambush by Syrian government forces in the city of Daraa, southern Syria.
The killed were returning from a meeting with colonel general Louay al-Ali, head of Military Intelligence Branch of the government forces, the source said.
Locals found on Thursday two bodies of soldiers of the government forces in the northern countryside of Daraa after they were kidnapped ten days ago.
A local source told North Press, “The residents found the bodies of Ahmad Kayed al-Shahma and Majid Mahmoud al-Hoshan on the road between the towns of al-Delli and al-Sihailiah in the northern countryside of Daraa.”
“The two soldiers hail from the town of Mahjah, north of Daraa. They were former members of the Syrian armed opposition factions, but they joined the ranks of the Military Security Branch of the government forces after obtaining their settlement cards,” the source said.
And at the same day Youssef Odah al-Zoubi, Secretary of the Baath Party Branch of the town of al-Musayfrah, was killed after being targeted by unknown attackers riding a motorcycle in the town.
Al-Zoubi was transferred to the National Hospital of the town of Busra in the eastern countryside of Daraa, and he died there.
On August 24, a man was shot dead in Daraa northern countryside, while a child was killed and four others were injured in a landmine explosion in the eastern countryside.
On the same day, the child Muhammad Bassam Ajaj lost his life and four others were wounded in a landmine explosion in the town of Namir, east of Daraa.
The mine was left by the government forces in the outskirts of Namir town east of Daraa.
A local source told North Press that Imad Samih Sorour was shot and killed by unidentified attackers riding a motorcycle in the city of al-Sanamayn, north of Daraa.
“Sorour was a civilian who worked as a trader and had never joined any military formation, whether it is the Syrian government forces or opposition,” he added.
On August 21, Tayseer al-Nizami, a former leader of the Syrian opposition, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the town of Tasil, west of Daraa.
He obtained the settlement card in 2018 and did not join the ranks of any military formation affiliated with the government forces, a source told North Press.
At the same day, Muhammad Juma al-Ahmad, member of Political Security Branch of the government forces, was killed after being targeted by an IED planted in his car.
The targeting took place near the Industrial High school in the al-Kashef neighborhood in the city center. Ahmad was working as a taxi driver as a cover in his real job in the security studies.
On August 20, residents of the town of Umm Walad found the body of Muhammad Mahmoud al-Rifai, known as al-Asfar, on Umm Walad-Musayfrah road in the eastern countryside of Daraa.
Locals accused a group affiliated with Military Security Branch of the government forces of kidnapping and killing al-Asfar.
Since the government forces re-captured Daraa in line with 2018 agreement, the governorate has been living in a state of security chaos, with one or two daily assassinations targeting soldiers and officers of the government forces, civilians and former opposition members, not to mention the spread of thefts.
In 2021, Daraa Governorate went through an 80-day-seige. After that, a number of Daraa’s notables and government forces, with mediation of Russian officers, reached a ceasefire agreement on September 5, 2021, including handing over weapons and deploying governmental security posts in the towns of the governorate.